Jan

22

How do you unclog a water fountain, w/o having to call the plumber?

Filed Under Maintenance & Repairs 

fearless1 asked:
_________________________________________________________________

We have a upright standing drinking fountain at work, kinda like the ones in high school. The problem is that the water in the top isn’t draining like it’s supposed to down the little holes. Is there a way to fix it without calling the plumber? I wouldn’t think you could use mr plumber or such b/c it would contaminate the other water, wouldn’t it?

SAMMY
Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google

Comments

4 Responses to “How do you unclog a water fountain, w/o having to call the plumber?”

  1. RANDAL on January 23rd, 2009 9:33 pm

    EMERSON

    Depending on the age of the fountain, there could be a build up of lime deposit or just plain grime or even something may have become caught down there sometime in the past and it’s restricting the drainage. If there’s enough room to poke a wire, like a cut off clothes hangar wire, that may clear the clog. I find that chemicals aren’t as good as they’re advertized to be. Absent being able to unclog it from the top, you may have to do additional work on the pipe beneath. It’s can be a lay person job if you like such things, but a plumber if you don’t. Start with the easy stuff and be immaginative.

  2. GLEN on January 25th, 2009 9:56 am

    RUBIN

    Use a compressed air tank with some plumbers putty and a rag around the hose to force the air down the drain. If you don’t have access to that kind of equipment, a shop vac may work.
    A plunger may work.
    Home cheapo sells a pressure assisted plunger.

  3. ALEJANDRO on January 28th, 2009 1:28 am

    ELLIS

    you could try a chemical drain cleaner, like draino or liquid plumber. CLR might work too.
    CLR is a brand name for Calcium,Lime and Rust Remover. Water that goes down the drain isnt gonna be going to the same source as the water you are drinking out of the fountain, once it goes down the drain, it goes to the sewer.

  4. LES on January 28th, 2009 10:14 am

    RICKY

    I would first try something that could remove algea and such. Try pouring some bleach in there. Not tons, just enough to kill that sort of thing.

    It could be that debris is in there, in which case you may have to call the plumber, but I suppose you could try plunging it first to see if that helps.

    You never know and it’s free to try!